Geography | G05

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→ AFTER THE STORM

Tracking Hurricane Matthew and analysing its impact

teacher guide & student worksheets

Teacher guide

Fast facts page 3

Summary of activities page 4
Introduction page 5
Background page 6
Activity 1: Track the hurricane page 7
Activity 2: Impacts of Hurricane Matthew page 9

Student worksheet page 10

Links page 14
Annex page 15

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 → AFTER THE STORM
Tracking Hurricane Matthew and analysing its impact
Fast facts
Subject: Geography, Science
Age range: 12 – 15 years old
Type: student activity
Complexity: easy
Lesson time required: 1 hour
Cost: low (0-10 Euros)
Location: indoors
Includes the use of: computer and internet
Keywords: Earth observation, Climate, Extreme
weather, Hurricane, Geography, Science
Brief description
These activities use the example of Hurricane
Matthew to explore the applications of Earth
observation data in tracking hurricanes and
assessing their aftermath. Students will
learn how a hurricane develops and the
impact that extreme weather can have on
the society. They will do this by comparing
satellite images.
The activity could be completed either in
an ICT suite in which students complete
independent learning about the images or
could be taught using a more active learning
style in the classroom.

Learning objectives
• Explain how hurricanes develop.
• Understand the impact that extreme weather can have on society.
• Understand how Earth observation can be used to track incoming weather and assess the
damage caused by extreme weather.
• Understand how countries work together to supply aid and relief to affected areas.

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→ Summary of activities
Summary of activities
Title Description Outcome Requirements Time
1 Track the This activity uses Students will learn: None 20
hurricane satellite images to • How a hurricane minutes
develop students’ Earth develops
observation skills. The • How Earth
task is to investigate observation can
the development of enable weather
Hurricane Matthew. tracking and
predictions of its
effects
2 Impacts of This activity is based Students will learn: Completion of 40
Hurricane upon remotely sensed • The impact that activity 1 minutes
Matthew data and encourages an extreme weather
students to investigate event can have on
how Earth observation society
can be used to examine • The extent of the
the impacts of natural damage caused by
disasters such as extreme weather
Hurricane Matthew. By • The potential for
annotating images and Earth observation
identifying changes, to be used to help
students will develop recovery after an
their geographical skills extreme weather
of observation and event
analysis.

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→ Introduction
2017 was a year of extreme hurricane activity. From Typhoon
Noru in the Pacific Ocean to the devastation of Hurricane Figure A1
Harvey and Irma that made landfall over the USA and the
Caribbean, 2017 became the ninth most active hurricane
season since records began in 1851. As news updates were
produced across the globe, fuelling public interest, it was no
surprise that images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts
on board the International Space Station would soon begin
circulating through social media sites such as Twitter.

The ubiquitous satellite images of a tropical storm such as

Noru, Irma or Matthew that become breaking news are not ↑ Image of Hurricane Harvey taken by ESA
novel storm tracking tools. Photographs such as this remind astronaut Paolo Nespoli from the International
Space Station orbiting Earth at 400 km altitude.
us of the incredible innovations being made within the
field of science and technology. Earth observation is now far more advanced, meaning that our
understanding of geographical phenomena is better than it has ever been.

Indeed, students can now actively seek out developing tropical storms across the oceans of the
world, utilise layers to correlate the formation of tropical storms with sea temperature data to
assess their cause, employ technology to measure the size of a cyclone, and use satellite imagery
to assess which areas are most in need of humanitarian aid.

Hurricanes are one of the natural extreme weather events that can only be tracked by satellites.
Satellites provide up-to-date imagery so that authorities know which precautionary measures to
take and when to take them. Satellites deliver information on a storm's extent, wind speed and
path, and on key features such as cloud thickness, temperature, and water and ice content.

Figure A2

↑ The European Sentinel-3 satellite provides critical information for ocean and weather forecasting. More accurate forecasting
helps protect people from the impacts of extreme weather events.

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→ What is a hurricane?

Hurricanes are enormous tropical storms that form over tropical and subtropical water (see Figure
A3). In order for tropical hurricanes to form, the sea surface temperature must be higher than 26.5
degrees Celsius. Water evaporates as a consequence of solar radiation, ascends as moist air, and
forms clouds as the water vapour condenses. With wind speeds in excess of 119 km/h and a large
span, they are capable of causing substantial damage to coastal areas.

Figure A3

Thunderstorm Tropical Tropical Storm Hurricane

Depression makes landfall

winds spin with great force

warm surface
air rises

warm ocean surface

↑ Formation of a hurricane.

Hurricane Matthew formed on September 28, 2016. Over the next two weeks Hurricane Matthew
moved through Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas, and the southeaster coast of the United States before
weakening on October 9, 2016. Hurricane Matthew caused catastrophic damage in its path. The
worst affected country was Haiti with 1.4 million people in need of humanitarian aid and more
than 500 fatalities. The impact of Hurricane Matthew is still felt in 2018.

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→ Activity 1: Track the hurricane
In this activity, students will analyse some basic characteristics of a hurricane that can be identified
in a satellite image. Then, students will investigate the development of Hurricane Matthew using
printed satellite images. This activity can be adapted according to the students’ prior level of
knowledge.

Exercise
In exercise 1, students analyse one satellite image of Hurricane Matthew to understand how a
hurricane can be recognised. This exercise is a preparatory for exercise 2.

The students can either work in pairs or independently with the worksheets. For exercise 2, you can
also print the images in Annex I. Depending on existing knowledge of hurricanes you can hand out
the ‘Activity 1 - Extension’ in the annex II. It gives more information and asks the students to put
them in the correct order with the images, providing a less complex version of the activity.

You can also try to find your own satellite images of a hurricane in the EO Browser. EO Browser
is an online tool that provides easy and free access to satellite images from different Earth
observation (EO) missions. The EO Browser: Quick Start Guide (see links section) provides an
introduction to this tool. If looking for hurricanes, we recommend you choose the Sentinel-3
satellite.

Results
Exercise 1

Students mark the eye of the hurricane in the centre of the image and should conclude that they
identified it from the pattern of the clouds. The direction of rotation of the hurricane is anti-
clockwise due to the Coriolis force that deflects winds. You can also discuss how tropical storms
spin in the opposite direction (clockwise) on the Southern Hemisphere.

Figure A4
European Union, contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2016), processed with EO Browser.

ESA/NASA

↑ Image of Hurricane Matthew including results for

Exercise 1.

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Exercise 2

28th September 5th October 7th October 8th October 9th October
2016 14:30 2016 18:30 2016 16:00 2016 18:20 2016 15:45
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

D A B E C
Tropical storm Hurricane now Category 3 hurricane. Hurricane Matthew Post-tropical cyclone.
evident. visible. becomes a post-
Movement = north- tropical cyclone with Movement = now
Movement = west in Movement = north- west direction a visible change in being absorbed by a
the direction of Haiti. west direction heading toward the structure. cold front along the
towards the US coast. US Eastern Seaboard
Location = centre of Bahamas. Movement = north- as evidenced by the
circulation just east Location = central easterly direction decreased cloud
of the Lesser Antilles. Location = eye is vortex is visible off along the SE coast of density.
visible north of Cuba the coast of Florida. the USA.
Weather = Strong and heading toward Here, there is high Location = around
thunderstorms the Bahamas. density cloud and Location = off the 320km east of North
surrounding the a clear hurricane coast of North Carolina.
centre with heavy Weather = the structure. Carolina.
clouds in the anticlockwise Weather conditions
Caribbean Sea. spiralling of cloud Weather conditions Weather conditions = winds beginning to
is visible. This = strong winds of = winds of around weaken.
Wind speeds are produces high winds, around 180km/h 130km/h with some
around 80km/h. gusts and heavy affecting Florida and stronger gusts
downpours for the Georgia. and heavy rainfall.
areas affected. Haiti, Conditions will only
the Dominican begin to improve
Republic, Jamaica over the next 48
and Cuba continue to hours.
be affected. Weather
warnings issued for
the Bahamas.

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→ Activity 2: Impact of Hurricane Matthew
In this activity, students will analyse satellite images taken before and after the hurricane made
landfall to see what impact it had on the landscape and the people living there.

Equipment
• Devices with internet access (laptops/tablets)

Exercise
This task is for students to work independently with satellite images but in case there is no access
to tablets or computers, you can use the images from Annex III. These can also be used when
discussing the results. Hand out the guide for the EO Browser (see links section) to the students if
they are not familiar with the online tool.

Question 1: False colour images make use of the fact that cameras carried by satellites can ‘see’
more than just the visible part of light. A false colour image uses at least one wavelength outside
the visible range. Here, the false colour image shows reflected near-infrared light as red, red light
as green, and green light as blue. Since plants reflect more near-infrared than green, vegetation
areas will appear red. The brighter and richer red indicates a higher reflectance in the near-
infrared, therefore indicating more and healthier vegetation. Overall, the reflectance in the visible
light is much lower than the one in the near-infrared, and the true colour image would be darker.
We suggest the use of false colour images as more details can be identified.

Question 2: Students should comment on the decrease in vegetation areas and agricultural land.
They should also note that the river has higher levels of sediment within it, indicated by the brown
colour of the water. This is the result of soil erosion on exposed slopes that has entered waterways.
Also, the houses in the city Les Cayes are destroyed.

Question 3: See figure A5.

Figure A5
Question 4: Students should understand that
technologies such as Earth observation satellites
do not reduce damage or losses, but their use
facilitates efficient decision making which can
make a difference in emergency situations. For
example, images acquired before and after
a flood offer immediate information on the
extent of inundation and support assessments
of property and environmental damage. Some
satellites that use radar, like Sentinel-1, even 3 2
have the ability to ‘see’ through clouds, rain and
in darkness making them very useful for rapid
mapping and assessment of disaster impact.

Teachers can show the ESA video “Saving lives 6

when disasters strike” (see Links section) to
summarise the discussion about how satellite ↑ Les Cayes, Haiti after the hurricane.
images can support emergency staff after European Union, contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2016), processed with EO Browser.

disasters.

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 → STUDENT WORKSHEET
→ AFTER THE STORM
Tracking Hurricane Matthew and analysing its impact

→ Activity 1: Track the hurricane

In this activity, you will understand elements and characteristics of Hurricane Matthew in a
satellite image and then investigate its development.

Exercise 1
Figure 1
1. The satellite image in Figure 1 shows Hurricane
Matthew on 7th October 2016.

a. Mark the eye of the hurricane in the image

with a circle and describe how you identified it.

b. With an arrow, indicate the direction of

rotation of the hurricane. Is it clockwise or
anti-clockwise? Can you explain why?

↑ Image of Hurricane Matthew. Credit: European

Union, contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data
(2016), processed with EO Browser.

Did you know?

The image shows the temperature of the clouds at the
top of Hurricane Matthew. In the centre of the storm,
the temperature is -80°C (blue colour). The orange/red
colour indicates areas without clouds, with a surface
ESA/CNES/ARIANESPACE-S.Corvaja

temperature of about 25°C. The temperature data is

delivered by Sentinel-3 satellite instruments. Carrying
a suite of cutting-edge instruments, Sentinel-3
measures systematically Earth’s oceans, land, ice and
atmosphere to monitor and understand large-scale
global dynamics.

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 → STUDENT WORKSHEET
Exercise 2
The following satellite images show Hurricane Matthew moving north towards the west coast of
Haiti. The order is random.

a. Assign the images A-E to the dates in table 1.

b. Write a description of what each image shows. This should include cloud movements, cloud
density, weather conditions and countries affected.

A B C D E

Table 1: Track the hurricane

28th September 5th October 7th October 8th October 9th October
2016 14:30 2016 18:30 2016 16:00 2016 18:20 2016 15:45

Description Description Description Description Description

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 → STUDENT WORKSHEET
→ Activity 2: Impact of Hurricane Matthew
Hurricane Matthew caused widespread devastation to several countries, with Haiti being one
of the worst affected countries. In this activity, you will analyse satellite images before and after
Hurricane Matthew so that you can investigate the effects of this hurricane.

Did you know?

When disaster strikes, a group of international space
agencies pools its resources and expertise to support relief
efforts on the ground. The International Charter Space and
Major Disasters is an international collaboration between 16
owners or operators of Earth observation missions. It provides
rapid access to satellite data to help disaster management
authorities in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
Since its first request for support in 2000, until May 2018,
the Charter has called on space assets on many occasions,
helping to respond to more than 580 disasters in more than
120 countries. On average, the Charter is activated about 40
times a year.

Exercise
1. Use the online tool EO Browser to find before and after images of the hurricane reaching Les
Cayes in Haiti (apps.sentinel-hub.com/eo-browser). You can use the following search settings or
find your own images!
• Area: Les Cayes, Haiti
• Satellite: Sentinel 2 (L1C)
• Dates: before 19 September 2016, after 9 October 2016
• Choose the option ‘false colour’.

2. Compare the satellite images before and after Hurricane Matthew made landfall. Describe the
differences in land, rivers and settlement areas.

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 → STUDENT WORKSHEET
3. Below you will find information about the impact of Hurricane Matthew. Assign at least three of
the numbers to areas on the images after Hurricane Matthew made landfall that you can relate
to and explain your decision.

1. Rainfall was an average of 38-64cm along the south coast of Haiti with isolated
areas receiving up to 100cm.

2. This led to 90% of coconut trees on the Tiburon Peninsula being knocked down
as well as destroying entire coffee and cocoa plantations. Crop damage from severe
gusts, torrential rains and storm surges led to a lack of food, causing famine. Incomes
of residents were also affected, many of whom relied on subsistence farming.

3. Storm surges of 3m inundated land and destroyed settlements leading to

widespread homelessness (1.4 million nationwide) and deaths. Mudslides were also
evident within the region.

4. Damage caused by the hurricane was estimated at US $ 1.9 billion.

5. Infrastructure damage to the Sud region prevents access to the capital of Port-au-
Prince and hinders relief efforts.

6. Soil erosion caused by heavy rainfall on exposed slopes leads to increased

sedimentation of rivers. Water became contaminated and cholera outbreaks posed
a secondary problem.

7. Strong winds reaching 150mph from the category 4 hurricane caused damage
to buildings (particularly roof damage), especially given that this was already an
impoverished area. Nationwide, the hurricane caused complete or near complete
destruction of approximately 200,000 homes.

4. Discuss how satellite images can support emergency staff after disasters.

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→ Links

ESA resources
ESA classroom resources:
www.esa.int/education/Classroom_resources

ESA space projects

Sentinel-2
esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-2

Sentinel-3
esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-3

Extra information
EO Browser: Quick Start Guide
http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/edu/EO_Browser_guide.pdf

Saving lives when disasters strike - ESA video

esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2015/10/Saving_lives_when_disasters_strike

Copernicus Emergency Management System – List of Activations

emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/list-of-activations-rapid

International Charter on Space and Major disasters

disasterscharter.org

NASA Animation with satellite images about the landfall of Hurricane Matthew (October 3-5 2016)
youtube.com/watch?v=o6Rrv3MNpNQ

Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, charter activation

disasterscharter.org/web/guest/activations/-/article/cyclone-in-haiti

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→ Annex I
Activity 1

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

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 B

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

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 C

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

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 D

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

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 E

NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

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→ Annex II
Activity 1 – extension
Hurricane Matthew
becomes a post-
tropical cyclone with
a visible change in
structure
Movement = north-
easterly direction
along the SE coast
of the USA.
Location = off the
coast of North
Carolina.
Weather = winds
of around 130km/h
with some stronger
gusts and heavy
rainfall. Conditions
will only begin to
improve over the
next 48 hours.
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Hurricane now Post-tropical Category 3 Tropical storm
visible cyclone hurricane evident
Movement = north- Movement = now Movement = north- Movement = west
west direction being absorbed by west direction in the direction of
towards the a cold front along heading toward the Haiti.
Bahamas. the US Eastern US coast.
Seaboard as Location = centre
Location = eye is evidenced by the Location = central of circulation just
visible north of decreased cloud vortex is visible off east of the Lesser
Cuba and heading density. the coast of Florida. Antilles.
toward the Here, there is high
Bahamas. Location = around density cloud and Weather = Strong
320km east of a clear hurricane thunderstorms
Weather = the North Carolina. structure. surrounding the
anticlockwise centre with heavy
spiralling of cloud Weather = winds Weather = strong clouds in the
is visible. This beginning to winds of around Caribbean Sea.
produces high weaken. 180km/h affecting Wind speeds are
winds, gusts and Florida and Georgia. around 80km/h.
heavy downpours
for the areas
affected. Haiti, the
Dominican Republic,
Jamaica and Cuba
continue to be
affected. Weather
warnings issued for
the Bahamas.
20
→ Annex III
Activity 2 – extension

European Union, contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2016), processed with EO Browser.

↑ Les Cayes, Haiti before the hurricane.

European Union, contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2016), processed with EO Browser.

↑ Les Cayes, Haiti after the hurricane.

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